Pierre Savelli and Gilles Simeoni, the last two mayors of Bastia, during the re-election of their list in June 2020. – PASCAL POCHARD-CASABIANCA / AFP
“Inflation of staff costs”, insufficient working time, high absenteeism … The management of the city of Bastia between 2012 and 2019 is pinned in a provisional report from the regional chamber of accounts. This 177-page work, dated July 20, 2020, concerns the management of the accounts of the city of Bastia between 2012 and 2019, i.e. the end of the last term of office of Emile Zuccarelli (left, 2000-2014) and during those of the nationalists Gilles Simeoni (2014-2016) then Pierre Savelli (since 2016).
The chamber notes that “in 2019, the self-financing capacity” of the second most populous city in Corsica after Ajaccio “has significantly decreased and the working capital has been reduced to a particularly reduced amount”. “The high level of indebtedness” makes it impossible to consider using it in the future in a significant way and “the question of the very short-term financial sustainability of budgetary policy must be raised, the continuation of the increase in charges. staff and maintaining a high level of investment no longer appearing compatible, ”she concludes.
“Lack of transparency and overall vision”
Between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2019, the total workforce (incumbents and non-incumbents) “increased by 57, from 670 to 727 jobs”, an even more significant increase at “constant perimeter”, with a total of “136 jobs” created, “or 17 additional positions on average each year”. These “massive recruitments” gave rise to a “real increase in the wage bill (…) estimated at 7.7 million euros, or nearly a third more in 2019 than in 2012”, emphasizes- it.
This increase in expenditure “contrasts with the activity of municipal agents significantly reduced due to a very favorable regime” of working time (1,572 hours per year between 2012 and 2016, against 1,607 legally planned) and “of an increased number of leave ”. “Combined with absenteeism for health reasons, this reduction in activity represents 71 jobs”, details the chamber. The report invites the municipality to abolish the additional days of leave granted to agents (27 against 25 provided for by decree).
Regarding the town’s investment plan of 90 million euros for the period 2016-2020, the chamber points out that it suffers from a “lack of transparency and overall vision”. “The control of major city projects has revealed recurrent difficulties such as delays and additional costs of the sites” linked to “unforeseen works” which arise “very often due to deficiencies in the preparation or an insufficiency of the works. studies ”.